DE LA SALLE LIPA

COLLEGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

EXPERIMENT NO. 3
MAXWELL’S MESH EQUATIONS

SUBMITTED BY:
HORSTMAN, CHARLON
LINGAO, AIRA SHAYNE
RAZO, MA. EUNICE

SUBMITTED TO:
Engr. RODELIO H. CABRERA

NOVEMBER 6, 2017
 DE LA SALLE LIPA
COLLEGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
CKTS001 – ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY EXPERIMENT
MANUAL

EXPERIMENT #6: MAXWELL’S MESH EQUATIONS

I. OBJECTIVE

To study and apply the Maxwell’s Mesh equations in the solution of an

electric network.

II. DISCUSSION

Networks in which the resistors are not in simple series or parallel

grouping or in which there are more than one source cannot, in general be
solved by the method of equivalent resistance. Such problems are handled
systematically by using Maxwell’s Mesh equations. This method required
the formation and solution of less equations than the direct application of
Kirchhoff’s voltage law since only the mesh currents are to be determined.
Branch currents can easily be computed from the values of the mesh
currents.
Any network may be divided into meshes and a separate current is
assumed to circulate in a mesh. Branches common to two meshes will
have to mesh currents through current from C to D is (I1 – I3) and the
current from D to A is (I1 – I6). The Kirchhoff’s voltage equation for mesh
abcda is R1I1 + R2(I1 – I3) + R4(I1 – I6) = E1. This may be written as:
(R1 + R2 + R4)I1 – R2I3 – R4I6 = E1
Similar equations may also be written for the other two meshes. They are:

-R2I1 + (R2 + R3 + R5)I3 – R5I6 = -E2

-R4I1 – R5I3 + (R4 + R5 + R6)I6 = 0

Kirchhoff’s voltage law is still used to form the equations. However, it is

easy to form and to check the equations.

III. INSTRUMENTS AND COMPONENTS

ITEM NO. DESCRIPTION QUANTITY

Feedback Trainer 1
Multimeter 2
1000 ohm resistor 1
680 ohm resistor 1
470 ohm resistor 1
330 ohm resistor 1
220 ohm resistor 1
100 ohm resistor 1

2
 DE LA SALLE LIPA
COLLEGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
CKTS001 – ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY EXPERIMENT
MANUAL

IV. PROCEDURE

1. Connect the circuit shown in Fig. 6.1. The values of the resistors and voltage sources
will be assigned by your instructor.
2. Measure and record the voltage across each resistor.
3. Measure and record the current through each resistor.
4. Measure the voltage across the voltage sources, E1 and E2.
5. Write the Maxwell’s Mesh equations for the electric network shown in Fig. 6.1 and
solve for each of the quantities measured in steps 2 and 3. The values of E1 and E2
are as measured in step 4.

V. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Fig. 6.1 The Experimental Circuit

VI. DATA AND RESULTS

E1 E2 E3 E4 E5 E6 I1 I2 I3 I4 I5 I6

Measured 2.954 3.390 0.942 0.657 0.657 0V 3 mA 5 mA 2 mA 2 mA 3 mA 0 mA

data V V V V V

Computed
2.729 3.154 0.821 0. 569 0.628 0.03 V 2.68 4.92 1.82 1.82 2.93 0.03
data V V V V V mA mA mA mA mA mA

% 8.24 7.48 14.74 0.15 4.62 0.1 11.94 1.62 9.89 9.89 1.39 0.1
difference % % % % % % % % % % % %

3
 DE LA SALLE LIPA
COLLEGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
CKTS001 – ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY EXPERIMENT MANUAL

VII. PROBLEMS

1. For the circuit shown, find mesh currents I1, I2 and I3.

4
 DE LA SALLE LIPA
COLLEGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
CKTS001 – ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY EXPERIMENT MANUAL

2. How does the Maxwell’ s equations differ from the nodal equations?

Maxwell equation or “loop analysis” is taking the sum of the voltages

around closed loops in the circuit and setting them to zero then solve for the
currents. Nodal analysis or Nodal equation is taking the sum of currents
entering or leaving the circuit at any particular node and setting them to zero
then solve for the currents.

VIII. CONCLUSION

In the activity, we were about to connect a circuit that was shown in circuit
diagram with assigned values of resistor and voltages. There were 2 types of data in
the data and results, the measured data and the computed data. In measured
data’s, we looked for the voltages that were flowing through a certain loop as well as
the currents. For the computed values, this experimental circuit diagram is handled
by using Maxwell’s mesh equations where mesh currents will determine. Through
this loop analysis, the values of the mesh currents will be used in order to compute
for the branch currents.